Post by High Priestess on Feb 23, 2016 19:05:56 GMT
Queenie & Ted shared on New Hosts FOrum
Room safes?
QUeenie
I'm a live-in host. I just listed a second bedroom. Each room and the shared bathroom have locks on the inside. With multiple guests coming in a few weeks, I was wondering if I should provide small room safes for valuables like cash and passports? Any recommendations?
Jessa
well no safes here for me, people should trust each other, our community is safe because we extend trust. But surely good locks on doors for multiple rooms...
Queenie & Ted
The bedroom doors can only be locked from the inside, so guests are assured privacy when they're in the rooms but I have noticed that we get international travelers who have passports and more cash than domestic travelers usually carry. I totally agree that trust is a necessity to be a good host and a good guest. I want my guests to feel secure while they're out and about sightseeing or conducting business.
Sheryl
You don't have to, but as a guest, I would appreciate it. It would tell me that, in furnishing the space, you considered my potential concerns. And the expense will be modest and deductible.
Jessa, I do not agree with those who say that guests should "trust each other." Guests only have the chance to correspond with the host. Anyone else sharing the house is a complete stranger to them. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Queenie & Ted
You put it very well- I want to address any potential concerns before the guests raise it as a concern.
Jeannette
We cannot due to zoning laws have interior locks on residential rowhouses in my zoning category (to do so would make this a boarding house). 99.9 % of my guests are comfortable with this and with the fact that I take security seriously as well as guest quality/honesty/screening.
I recently had a guest worried someone in the house would take her laptop. I assured her my other guests were amazing, considerate health professionals -- who each already had their own bad@$$ laptops.
Queenie & Ted
The bedroom locks are the type that can be picked with a hairpin. They're the same locks from when my kids lived at home as we have similar zoning laws regarding boarding houses. I do feel really comfortable with the guests we've had so far. Primarily due to LOTS of conversation before they get here - even with the Instant Bookers.
Jeannette
ha ha ha, yep. Mine are also "privacy doorknobs," 25 years old, so you can open then with a flathead screwdriver or probably even a quarter.
Queenie & Ted
Okay. I've ordered 2 of the SentrySafe P005C Compact Safe, 0.05 Cubic Feet, Black. At $13 each, it's a minor expense. Owners say the 3 digit codes can be hacked in 20 minutes but if someone is willing to spend that amount of time figuring out codes then they are determined enough to go up against more expensive systems as well. These should provide peace of mind for me and the guests. If I can find this post in a few weeks, I'll let everyone know how it went.
Carolyn
Queenie & Ted, That's a good decision, I think. It could be that most guests won't use them, but they will appreciate the fact that they have the option. The ones who do use them will love the convenience. Let us know how it goes!
Deborah
I have deadbolts on the guest room doors, so they can lock their doors. I want them to be able to secure all their belongings if they choose to do so. A safe is a good option if you think they will mainly be concerned with valuables, but I tend to offer my guests what I would like to be offered, and for me, I would not only want my valuables secure, but I would like to know that no one was able to come into my room. It would feel quite intrusive if someone (eg another guest) were to come in, even just walk in, look around, and walk out again.
As far as the cities where locks are prohibited on doors --- my response to that is, well, are they sending investigators door to door to examine your bedroom doors? IF not then I would say go ahead, and if some day they decide to waste taxpayer $ sending out city agents to examine people's bedroom doors, well then you can unscrew a deadbolt or a keyed entry lock in about 1 minute,and replace it with something that doesn't lock in about the same time.
Jeannette3 hours ago
I should clarify -- you can have privacy doorknobs, with the little button to lock yourself in, but not added hoohaw, like deadbolts, internal latches and the whole flophouse / illegal subdivided house level of exterior types of locks on interior doors.
Alan & John
We have been hosting for around 18 months now and have had 2 different sets of guests at the same time. There have been no issues regarding security or privacy. We do not have internal locks. It is a position of trust from both sides, as the guests have access to our home and it's contents. Remember it is a home stay, not a hotel stay.
Jessa
I guess this depends so much on where you are, who you attract etc but if I don't go "Here is the key to the main door and here is your room key." - the standard response is "Where is the room key?" Maybe it's a Dutch thing, my US guests rarely lock their rooms, but I've had plenty of discussions with them about not locking everyone in by manually locking the main door - it's locked from the outside just by closing the door, but better locked if key is turned manually, but then you need a key to get out and I never want people scrambling for keys if there is a fire. I guess the ways people experience and feel safety are very personal and cultural. Anyhow - in my experience and in my region- room keys rule and without them people go nuts
Jeannette
Yes Jessa. I think here (Mid-Atlantic) it is counterproductive. To me, it gives a *VERY* downmarket vibe, that you are basically running an illegal flophouse, with lord-knows-who allowed to stay, vs. a safe and secure private home.
My security system is a bit layered like a moated castle, in a subtle sense: a barkaholic sheltie dog (best alarm system in the universe); I work at home; we have a new housemate who is a former Canadian hockey player and is built like a bar bouncer; baseball bat behind every exterior door; I personally know all the good and bad players in the greater neighborhood; 8-foot-high fence and alley door to dissuade intruders further. Haven't had any sketchy guests and knock wood if I do, they will be quickly sayonara'd.
Room safes?
QUeenieI'm a live-in host. I just listed a second bedroom. Each room and the shared bathroom have locks on the inside. With multiple guests coming in a few weeks, I was wondering if I should provide small room safes for valuables like cash and passports? Any recommendations?
Jessa
well no safes here for me, people should trust each other, our community is safe because we extend trust. But surely good locks on doors for multiple rooms...
Queenie & Ted
The bedroom doors can only be locked from the inside, so guests are assured privacy when they're in the rooms but I have noticed that we get international travelers who have passports and more cash than domestic travelers usually carry. I totally agree that trust is a necessity to be a good host and a good guest. I want my guests to feel secure while they're out and about sightseeing or conducting business.
Sheryl
You don't have to, but as a guest, I would appreciate it. It would tell me that, in furnishing the space, you considered my potential concerns. And the expense will be modest and deductible.
Jessa, I do not agree with those who say that guests should "trust each other." Guests only have the chance to correspond with the host. Anyone else sharing the house is a complete stranger to them. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Queenie & Ted
You put it very well- I want to address any potential concerns before the guests raise it as a concern.
Jeannette
We cannot due to zoning laws have interior locks on residential rowhouses in my zoning category (to do so would make this a boarding house). 99.9 % of my guests are comfortable with this and with the fact that I take security seriously as well as guest quality/honesty/screening.
I recently had a guest worried someone in the house would take her laptop. I assured her my other guests were amazing, considerate health professionals -- who each already had their own bad@$$ laptops.
Queenie & Ted
The bedroom locks are the type that can be picked with a hairpin. They're the same locks from when my kids lived at home as we have similar zoning laws regarding boarding houses. I do feel really comfortable with the guests we've had so far. Primarily due to LOTS of conversation before they get here - even with the Instant Bookers.
Jeannette
ha ha ha, yep. Mine are also "privacy doorknobs," 25 years old, so you can open then with a flathead screwdriver or probably even a quarter.
Queenie & Ted
Okay. I've ordered 2 of the SentrySafe P005C Compact Safe, 0.05 Cubic Feet, Black. At $13 each, it's a minor expense. Owners say the 3 digit codes can be hacked in 20 minutes but if someone is willing to spend that amount of time figuring out codes then they are determined enough to go up against more expensive systems as well. These should provide peace of mind for me and the guests. If I can find this post in a few weeks, I'll let everyone know how it went.
Carolyn
Queenie & Ted, That's a good decision, I think. It could be that most guests won't use them, but they will appreciate the fact that they have the option. The ones who do use them will love the convenience. Let us know how it goes!
Deborah
I have deadbolts on the guest room doors, so they can lock their doors. I want them to be able to secure all their belongings if they choose to do so. A safe is a good option if you think they will mainly be concerned with valuables, but I tend to offer my guests what I would like to be offered, and for me, I would not only want my valuables secure, but I would like to know that no one was able to come into my room. It would feel quite intrusive if someone (eg another guest) were to come in, even just walk in, look around, and walk out again.
As far as the cities where locks are prohibited on doors --- my response to that is, well, are they sending investigators door to door to examine your bedroom doors? IF not then I would say go ahead, and if some day they decide to waste taxpayer $ sending out city agents to examine people's bedroom doors, well then you can unscrew a deadbolt or a keyed entry lock in about 1 minute,and replace it with something that doesn't lock in about the same time.
Jeannette3 hours ago
I should clarify -- you can have privacy doorknobs, with the little button to lock yourself in, but not added hoohaw, like deadbolts, internal latches and the whole flophouse / illegal subdivided house level of exterior types of locks on interior doors.
Alan & John
We have been hosting for around 18 months now and have had 2 different sets of guests at the same time. There have been no issues regarding security or privacy. We do not have internal locks. It is a position of trust from both sides, as the guests have access to our home and it's contents. Remember it is a home stay, not a hotel stay.
Jessa
I guess this depends so much on where you are, who you attract etc but if I don't go "Here is the key to the main door and here is your room key." - the standard response is "Where is the room key?" Maybe it's a Dutch thing, my US guests rarely lock their rooms, but I've had plenty of discussions with them about not locking everyone in by manually locking the main door - it's locked from the outside just by closing the door, but better locked if key is turned manually, but then you need a key to get out and I never want people scrambling for keys if there is a fire. I guess the ways people experience and feel safety are very personal and cultural. Anyhow - in my experience and in my region- room keys rule and without them people go nuts
Jeannette
Yes Jessa. I think here (Mid-Atlantic) it is counterproductive. To me, it gives a *VERY* downmarket vibe, that you are basically running an illegal flophouse, with lord-knows-who allowed to stay, vs. a safe and secure private home.
My security system is a bit layered like a moated castle, in a subtle sense: a barkaholic sheltie dog (best alarm system in the universe); I work at home; we have a new housemate who is a former Canadian hockey player and is built like a bar bouncer; baseball bat behind every exterior door; I personally know all the good and bad players in the greater neighborhood; 8-foot-high fence and alley door to dissuade intruders further. Haven't had any sketchy guests and knock wood if I do, they will be quickly sayonara'd.